Best Mate: Cheltenham Festival record
Best Mate has won 3 races at the Cheltenham Festival, from the 2002 Cheltenham Gold Cup to the 2004 Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Best Mate won three consecutive Gold Cups from 2002 to 2004 for Henrietta Knight and Jim Culloty, the most recent horse to win the race three times. He was never beaten at the Festival.
Every Festival run on file
| Year | Race | Finished | SP | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Cheltenham Gold Cup | 1st | 8/11 | Jim Culloty | Henrietta Knight |
| 2003 | Cheltenham Gold Cup | 1st | 13/8 | Jim Culloty | Henrietta Knight |
| 2002 | Cheltenham Gold Cup | 1st | 7/1 | Jim Culloty | Henrietta Knight |
Partnered by Jim Culloty for Henrietta Knight.
Festival runs only. Wins in the championship races are on file back to 1924, and the first four home in every race from 2022, so this is a Cheltenham record rather than a full career history.
See all horses with a Festival record.
Compiled and checked by <your name>. Last updated 28 October 2026. Spotted something wrong? Tell us and we will fix it.